Category: Harrisonburg Issues
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As pandemic’s fiscal impact becomes painfully clear, city announces layoffs and other cost-saving measures
By March 13, when the health department announced Harrisonburg’s first positive test for COVID-19 and local schools were on a one-day closure that soon extended through the academic year, it was clear that the pandemic’s effects on public health and the economy would be dramatic. On Monday, city staff put some first numbers to that bleak picture in a late-afternoon press release: local tax revenue will fall an estimated $4 million short of projections for this fiscal year, which ends June 30.
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School therapy provider accustomed to adaptation
In a public school setting where students vastly outnumber teachers, some children need more support than what the school’s personnel can provide. For more than a decade in Harrisonburg, this gap has been filled by government-supported in-school therapy, known as Therapeutic Day Treatment. Now that schools are closed for the remainder of the academic year, though, providers are scrambling to find ways to reach the students who need them.
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In conference call, Sen. Warner hears about successful steps and continued anxiety over COVID-19 in Hburg
On April 29, six weeks after the passage of the federal CARES Act, Sen. Mark Warner (D) spoke by phone with several business and community leaders in Harrisonburg, including Mayor Deanna Reed and JMU President Jonathan Alger. The virtual meeting was one in a series of calls Warner has been holding with leaders across Virginia to hear how their communities have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Democratic council candidates carve out slight differences over approaches toward housing, JMU and the golf course’s fate
The candidates seeking the Democratic nominations for this fall’s city council election signaled a general agreement on big-picture issues, such as supporting education and working to encourage affordable housing, although they each sought to differentiate themselves over how they’d prioritize certain approaches.
City’s trend of COVID cases improving, but officials remain concerned about vulnerable populations
Harrisonburg could be seeing “the light at the end of the tunnel” in the rate of COVID-19 infections, the deputy emergency coordinator reported to city council Tuesday. Meanwhile, state health officials are considering making available locality-level testing data.
Concern for poultry plant employees ratchets up after worker dies of COVID-19
The Valley’s poultry plants are under increasing pressure, including from concerned workers, to tighten safety measures in an effort to protect against the spread of COVID-19. It intensified Monday after an employee at one of the plants died from the virus and as community members led a “car rally” on the workers’ behalf.
Democratic council candidates bring different experiences, priorities in advance of Wednesday’s virtual town hall forum
The five Democratic candidates running for Harrisonburg’s City Council will have their chance to differentiate themselves and show voters what they know about — and envision for — Harrisonburg’s city government a virtual town hall Wednesday night. At this point it’s the only joint appearance before city Democrats vote by email or mail by May 16 in that party’s social distancing version of a firehouse primary.
Mayor Reed and Vice-mayor Romero answer COVID-19 questions
Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed and Vice-mayor Sal Romero responded, in English and Spanish, to questions submitted by the community about COVID-19 in the city. Some questions have been edited for space and clarity. To submit a question, email [email protected]. English Q: With Harrisonburg having the highest count of coronavirus cases, what can be done about …
